Chain Chronicle: Legacy of the Game Master
by ArthurDragonpen
Summary: My name is Layla and I don't know who I am. But yet I seem to know everything else. I'm on a journey to determine the truth behind my identity. Helping me on that voyage is the Volunteer Army, a team of interesting and downright weird individuals on a quest to save the world. As the Game Master, this should be a piece of cake. Still, quick question: What's a Game Master?
1. Prolugue

**Prologue**

**Disclaimer: Hello, all of you lovely people. Welcome to the first ever Chain Chronicle fanfic. I am your host, ArthurDragonpen. Just for the record, Chain Chronicle is not my creation and therefore, anything that is not an OC does not belong to me. Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, here comes the prologue. Enjoy!**

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"Rhys!" A somewhat melodic voice shouted off into the distance. "She's coming to"

"Yeah, I see that. Hey, you okay?" I feel a pressure on my shoulder as someone tried to nudge me awake. "Can you hear me?"

"Rhys!" A smaller female voice shouted out in anger. "Don't harass her. She's already been through a lot. Let her wake up on her own."

"I… um, right." The voice said hesitantly.

Moaning, I grabbed at my head and blinked open my eyes. The first thing I saw was a face. His eyes stared down at mine, a dark brown chocolate that brought me out of the darkness. His hair was of the same color but slightly brighter with a shine that caught my eye and his face was delicately curved and fashioned as though he were an Adonis. He wore chain mail armor and a white medieval jacket with an assortment of belts that held his sword and kept his armor in check. All in all, he was quite the pretty boy. But, I wasn't given much time to admire the scenery when a sudden agonizing pain wracked my body and I whimpered. I tried speaking but no sound came out. _Could I speak at all?_

Eventually, I was able to force the words out of my mouth. "W-What happened to make me feel this bad? It feels as though I was dropped off the side of a cliff."

"Black Troops will do that to you. Lucky we found you two before they could do too much harm." The small female voice was back and I found myself searching for the voice. "Where's that voice coming from?"

"What? You didn't notice me? I'm sitting on Rhys's shoulder." I quickly looked towards the boy I had described before and my eyes regarded his figure before widening in surprise. There had been someone sitting on Rhys's shoulder and my eyes had skated right over her. The girl was no bigger than my hand and that's saying something; my hand is pretty small. Her eyes were a bright emerald green and her hair shone like a scarlet fire giving off light and warmth. She wore a pink blouse tied with a small ribbon and a purple skirt with black tights. But what most surprised me was the set of dragonfly wings attached to her back.

I gasped. "A-Are you a… fairy?"

For a second, the girl's face was blank. But, then she giggled. "A sprite actually. But, I guess that's not the biggest problem. My name is Pirika. What's yours?"

For a moment, I did nothing but stare at her in thought. Pirika became nervous and she held up her hands in reassurance. "It's alright if you don't remember. Amnesia is nothing to be afraid of. Phoena's going through the same thing."

One of her words registered. "Fiona?" My eyebrows furrowed as I sounded the word out. No doubt about it. That name made me feel something. And yet… "Who is Fiona?"

"That would be me. I'm Phoena." The soft, peaceful voice was back and I turned to see another girl on my right. She smiled at me softly and something in me wanted to smile as well but I settled for staring at her eyes of opal, shining softly and her expression of compassion. She wore a light blue dress and a brown, winter fur coat, two intricately detailed armbands, and travelling boots. In her hands, she held a blue bag that looked rather strange, now that I thought about it. Actually, what she held was not a bag but rather a gold-encrusted ancient-looking blue book. As I stared, I realized that her voice was the first that I had heard upon waking up. That, and I knew her from somewhere.

"You look familiar." Phoena's eye grew wide with surprise but also hope. Hastily, I scrambled to amend my statement. "I mean, not really familiar but I feel like I know you more than I know me." Um, does that even make sense?

Phoena nodded, her smile becoming rather forced. "I see. Oh, well, I figured that you would know who I am since you were protecting me after I was knocked out. If Rhys, Pirika, and the others hadn't come when they did, we'd both be dead."

I looked to the three of them. "Is that so?" Frowning, I said, "Thank you for saving me. But, I… I don't own anything to give you for your troubles."

Rhys shook his head. "Don't worry about it. We're just happy to see you are alright."

Pirika fluttered her wings and took flight. "That's right. You don't have to pay us back."

She may as well not have been talking. All I could think about was how to repay these kind strangers for all their help. But, what did I have to give? I had no money to my name and only the clothes off my back, which I was sure they weren't going to accept. Then, it hit me. "Would you allow me to tag along with you and your group?" I asked Rhys.

Rhys looked at Pirika before fixing me with a questioning glance. "I think that depends on why you want to."

I lowered my eyes, downcast. "Well, partly it's because I figure this is the only way to pay you back for all you've done for me. But, to be completely honest, I wish to explore this world. I want to know what caused my memory loss and, if I can, somehow regain those scattered recollections." I hadn't noticed that my voice had grown more confident until I looked up and noticed them staring at me in silence. Immediately, I lowered both my head and my voice and begged, "Please, do me the honor of allowing me to accompany you."

For a moment, they were quiet. I refused to lift my head until they gave me some sort of response. Finally, Rhys put his hand under my chin and forced me to look him in the eyes. "If you want to join us, then we won't stop you. Just know that the road ahead will be dangerous. You still willing to follow us?"

Ecstatic that he had accepted my request, I jumped up and gave each both and Rhys and Phoena big hugs. I was just about to thank them strenuously but then I stopped.

All three of them gave me a long look. "Hey, what happened?"

I spoke suddenly, almost without realizing it. "Layla, yes. That's my name… it is Layla." The laugh that bubbled up inside of me in that moment was building but I couldn't stop. It wasn't long before I burst out in chuckles and giggles of glee, my smiling face radiating even the darkest corners. I knew I must have looked mad right about now. But, I could care less.

Rhys seems to understand my thought process and smiles along with me. He held out a hand which I gladly accepted. "Okay, Layla, welcome to the Volunteer Army. Nice to have you along!"

I looked to him and grinned. "Glad to be here."

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**And that's all for now. Sorry that it was short. I'll make sure the next chapter is longer. For now, this Chain Chronicle fanfiction is nothing more than an experiment. Depending on its reception, I will either continue or delete it. IF you don't want that to happen, you can send in reviews as well as OC requests. And I'll get to work on meeting your demands. So, I guess I'll see you later.**

**ArthurDragonpen, signing off!**


	2. Chapter 1: Meeting the Team

**Chapter 1: Meeting the Team**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Chain Chronicle. I only own the OC I placed in the story.**

**A/N: I'm BAAAAACCCKKK! And in record time too! I gotta say, when I had originally wrote the plot for the story, I hadn't expected it to get so famous that quickly. I was more or less goofing around as I had believed that it would be nothing more than a side project. But, it seems that a lot of you guys want to see where this story goes. Probably because it's the only Chain Chronicle fanfic out there. So, I guess I'll oblige you. So, next up, Chapter 1! Enjoy!**

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Gazing into the eyes of the unfamiliar young woman in front of me, I studied her. Her delicate curves, and short legs. Her emerald green eyes shining like green flames and unruly, hazelnut brown hair flowing past her shoulders. She wore a purple kimono top decorated with golden flowers and a black skirt with purple tights and combat boots.

"It's official," I said, my mirror image copying my distressed expression, "I don't remember myself at all."

I thought that if I had gotten a good look at myself in the mirror, it would result in a few more memories popping up but unfortunately, nothing happened. I was still the same fourteen year old girl who had little to no memory when it came to where I came from.

Sighing, I turned from my image and towards the door on the other side of the room. Even after the good night's rest that I had gotten, nothing had resurfaced. But, I guess that was to be expected. I thought about Phoena. Just like me, Phoena had lost her memory as well. All she had was a mysterious book that no one could read and the support of everyone here. At least we had that last thing in common.

Yesterday, Rhys had told me to get some sleep for the trip ahead. Before we set off, he would introduce me to the members of the Army. Today was the day that would happen and I was beyond worried.

I knew weird things happened everyday around here but two completely unrelated girls both losing their memories on the same day was a little bit out there. I didn't know Phoena. But, the book she carried… that was familiar. Why? Not sure. But, it felt as though I had already had an encounter with it. Despite all that, I was nowhere close to figuring out how or even when we had crossed paths. Which was what this trip was all about. It was why I had asked to go with them. And it was why I needed to get over my fear and go say hello.

Before I lost my nerve, I twisted the doorknob and exited the room, hurrying down the hall towards the tavern. There were many unfamiliar faces in the main room but I was able to make out Pirika's shiny wings from a table at the back. As I made my way over to them, I started to catch pieces of the conversation.

"… Are we going to be waiting any longer?" Pirika asked, her question directed at Rhys.

Rhys sighed. "Hey, let's try to be patient. Layla is just trying to get accustomed to the new reality she's found herself in. It might take some time sure but I'm sure she won't keep us waiting long. Plus, Phoena said so herself."

The group turned to Phoena, who still wasn't good with all the attention. But, she stuck her chin out and defended Rhys's case. "He's right. By the time I woke up, Layla was walking about the room, already dressed. When I asked if she was ready, she asked for a few more minutes. It wouldn't be unreasonably to give her just that."

They were talking about me. So much for not standing out… desperate to get this show on the road, I coughed slightly to get their attention. "Um… g-good morning."

The table froze in shock as I addressed them. I stood there awkwardly for a few seconds before a boy with shiny blond hair got up from his seat. "Morning. Have a nice sleep?"

"Uh…" I looked at him and was caught up by his bright blue eyes regarding me sincerely. Realizing that I was staring, I dropped my gaze and mumbled, "Fine. I… uh… slept like a rock."

The boy grinned. "Slept like a rock, huh? Great. It's nice to meet you, Layla."

At that, the others snapped out of their surprise and began to greet me. The boy who talked to me first offered his seat and I thanked him. He smiled and borrowed another chair from an unoccupied table.

When everyone was settled, I reintroduced myself and the others went around the table, stating both their names and professions, starting with the blond haired boy.

He gave a cheerful grin and held out a hand that I shook almost immediately. "I'm Kain and I'm training to be a Knight."

The girl across from Kain stood up and gave me a hearty grin. "Hey, Layla. Nice to meet you. I'm Michidia. I'm an Archer, fighting alongside the Volunteer Army to take out as many Black Troops as I can with my trusty bow." She brandished it like a trophy and even I had to admit it looked pretty cool. She sat down, carefully setting her bow next to her quiver as she did so.

The girl next to her got to her feet almost as readily as Michidia had but somehow along the way…

"Aah!"

CRASH!

…Down she went. In a sudden turn of events, the pink-haired girl dressed in white face-planted after stepping on the hem of her robes and tripping over her own feet. "Owww… can you please just forget you saw that?"

I nodded mutely and she sighed in relief. Getting to her feet once more, she gave me a slightly weak smile. "Alright, let's try that again. My name is Marina and I'm a Cleric. Believe me when I say I'm a bit more competent on the battlefield."

I did my best to reassure her. "I'm sure you are. I was pretty nervous to meet all of you. Figures you guys would be nervous too."

Rhys stood up and addressed me again. "And that's everyone for now."

I frowned. "That is?"

Pirika regarded me with a concerned look. "What's wrong?"

I looked around the table. "It's just that the name 'Volunteer Army' sounded so imposing, I figured that there were more of you." The table got deathly quiet so I guess I must have made a mistake mentioning that. I tried to backpedal. "I mean, there's been so much notoriety about your group that I figured it was an actual army and… I guess I over assumed. Sorry." _Way to go, me, way to go._

Someone cleared their throat next to me and I turned to see Rhys. His eyes were dark but he still managed to give me a smile, even if it seemed a little forced. "The Army has been going through some rough patches but it is sort of a charity effort, hence the name Volunteer Army. If people want to join, they can. If they want to leave, they can. And if they have business to finish before they officially join, they do that first and join us later. That's the nature of this group."

Pirika flew to where I sat and deposited herself on the table in front of me. "We received a new recruit who had business to attend to only a day before we found you. Before we take on our next mission, we're headed back to the capital to meet up with him."

I nodded. "I see. Glancing around at the members of this ragtag team, I stood from my seat. "I guess we better get started then. We're wasting time as it is."

As the talk of the team numbers was dropped, the tension in Rhys's shoulders went away and he stood as well, the others following his lead. "Couldn't have said it better myself, Layla. Okay, guys, we've got a long journey ahead of us. But, if we hightail it and manage not to run into a multitude of Black Troops, we might be able to make it to the Vice Capital by nightfall. You all ready?"

Everyone nodded assent and he smiled. "Okay. Volunteer Army, let's move out." He turned on his heel, grabbed his equipment and walked out of the bar. We followed him into the early morning light and on to the Vice Capital.

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We left around noon so there was still plenty of light left. The seven of us traveled at a brisk pace, talking amongst ourselves to pass the time. I began to learn little things about the others, like how Kain was only a Knight in Training. Apparently, he had asked to join the Army when his home had been invaded by Black Troops.

I tried wrapping my mind around that. "Hold on, so you're a farmer? Why would you join the fight then? I'm sure your parents must be really worried." I didn't know for sure what his living conditions were but from what I could tell, he couldn't have been more than two years older than me. Fifteen or sixteen at the most. So in keeping with that trail of thought, his parents must have had a heart attack when he told them he was leaving.

Kain gave me a small smile. "Yeah, they definitely weren't expecting me to say it." He looked up at the sky. "But, I think that they weren't surprised when I did. Even as a kid, I had major goals. I took after my father in wanting to uphold the family farm and keep it running but I always dreamed of helping with the war effort. Guess it just took some incentive to get me here."

I thought about that. I had no memories to speak of. But, I ended up on that road with Phoena somehow. Maybe I was like Kain. Someone who felt that their destiny was on the road, helping out others when they need it the most. Given how things turned out, it's a good guess. But, it was all mere speculation.

Kain gave me a sideways glance before turning his eyes forward and focusing on the road. "I don't feel right asking but are there any family members that you remember out there right now?"

I know why he didn't want to ask but I didn't take much offense to it. "Not sure. I figure if there are, I'll remember them when the time is right. If I haven't remembered them even after we're halfway through this journey, then it's not the time to do so."

Kain lifted one eyebrow but didn't say anything. I wondered why and turned to him to say something when…

Snap! The sound of tree branches breaking sounded off to our right and automatically, Kain unstrapped his shield from his back and unsheathed his blade. All around us, the air went still and the trees rustled. From the shadows, a pair of red eyes gazed out at me. And then they appeared. They were skeletons, gray and black. Undead soldiers of war. Some carried only swords while others brandished both swords and shields.

Gesturing to me, Kain said, "Get behind me to safety. These types of Black Troops aren't fast but they're still plenty dangerous. Stay behind Michidia. We'll handle these guys."

Phoena grabbed my arm and we ran to the back of the group where it was safest. Once we were there, Rhys lifted his sword and charged into battle, Kain following his lead. Marina stayed a safe enough distance away and provided support from the middle. As for Michidia, her bow was ready, an arrow already nocked and a target already picked. With hardly a thought, she fired, the arrow flying straight and true into one skeleton's skull. It fell to the ground, bursting into dust.

I looked around at the other members as the fight went on. Pirika was darting around to certain points on the battlefield, sometimes talking to Rhys and other times remaining on the sidelines. I wasn't sure what it was all about but it seemed that this was some small part of her job. Rhys was jabbing, blocking, and decapitating any soldier that fought to break through his defense. Kain took on a slightly different role. Rhys couldn't stop all of the troops from breaking through. Every once in a while, one or two managed to get through. When they did, Kain fought them off. The two were quite the dynamic duo.

It was a while before the Black Troops dispersed, defeated by our ragtag group. After the battle, we took a quick rest. Phoena and I went around, offering everyone water while Marina tended to any wounds that Rhys and Kain might have gotten during the fight. After they were all rejuvenated, we set off once more, deciding that sticking around here much longer would call up another batch of Black Troops, which was something we didn't need. Besides, the sun was setting in the distance and the Vice Capital was still a couple of hours away at best.

I chanced a look behind us but nothing was there yet. However, there was a number of dark things standing off in the distance on the road behind us. Briefly, I wondered if we could outrun them. But, even then I doubted it.

Rhys, following my gaze, made out the enemies approaching, "We've got another pack coming in hot. Phoena, Layla…" There was no need to speak. We moved behind everyone and got ready for another fight.

As the clash happened once more, I realized that no matter what we did or where we went, the Black Troops would follow. And whenever they went, destruction was not far behind.

I sighed, my hand squeezing Phoena's tightly. "This is going to be a long afternoon."

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**A/N: It is with great sadness that I bring this next chapter to a close. Sorry. Like I promised, this chapter was indeed longer. Unfortunately, I had to take a lot of things into account when writing. I do feel that there are a few warnings I will need to place in this author's note so you can get where I'm coming from. Firstly, since Chain Chronicle is a game, I've been looking for a way to include gaming mechanics in a light that doesn't seem odd while you're reading. I'm trying to make it look realistic. Secondly, I will only add in the characters whose cards I already have. Since I have two different accounts - one on my phone and the other on my Kindle - there will still be a lot of people showing up. However, if I don't own the character card of a certain person you want to see in the story, chances are they won't show up. Adding to that, I have thought extensively about the idea of OCs and for now, I'll just leave that be. Let me get further into the story and then maybe I'll ask. Finally, last but not least, is the story itself. Now, believe it or not, this story is actually the unofficial collaboration to a story I haven't even begun writing yet. And as we get further into the story, a lot of the later on terms I use will make more sense. Other than that, that's basically everything. Please be sure to review, follow, or favorite. Tell me what you think or how I could improve the story.**

**Until next time,**

**ArthurDragonpen, signing off!**


	3. Chapter 2: The First Mission

**Chapter 2: The First Mission**

**A/N: What's up, everybody? I'm going to talk very little this time around since I'm too tired to get in any pithy quotes or explain why it took so long. But then again... (College)... 'Nuff said. I can't promise I'll update every month as much as I'd like to but just know that no matter how long it takes, I do plan on updating whenever it is within my power. So anywho? Chapter 2 is here!**

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We were a little worse for wear by the time we set foot in the Vice Capital. Dirt caked and bedraggled to say the least, each of us was bone dead tired by the time we entered the Lower City Pub. No one took any notice of us as we sat at the nearest table and relaxed a bit.

I placed my head on the table and sighed deeply. "I wasn't even fighting and I'm tired. So you guys must be exhausted."

Kain gave me a weary grin. "I'm a bit tired but I'm going to have to build up my endurance if I want to stay on the front lines. So, for all intents and purposes, I'm thinking of this as extra training."

I whispered in Michidia's ear. "Is that really all it takes?"

She shrugged. "Honestly, I don't think so. Everyone has their own way to deal with being exhausted. Some are straightforward," she nodded in Kain's direction, "while others take a few more steps."

"What do you do?" I asked, suddenly curious.

"Usually, I plan out strategies in case I have to fight again later. If I'm with comrades, we discuss ideas and theories over lunch or dinner." She pulled out a cloth and began to rub the bow down. "When in a group, it's good to discuss battle strategy. You never know when you'll need it."

"I see." Understanding and seeing were two different things though. Still, I decided to keep my mouth shut about it and turned to Marina. "And you? How do you manage to shake the fatigue?"

Marina set her staff down next to the table and thought it over. "Well, my mentor always said that the best way to relax is have a balanced meal."

"Uh… that's it?"

Marina thought for a moment longer before nodding. "Yeah, that's it. My mentor was never one for overcomplicating things so I took the advice to heart."

I thought it through for a split second, nodding in understanding. "That sounds interesting. Your mentor must have been fun to get along with."

Marina smiled. "Yes, she was definitely a character, to say the least."

Frowning, my eyes skated around the pub. "Speaking of colorful characters, where did Phoena, Pirika and the Captain go?"

The others, completely surprised by my question, took turns looking over their shoulders to search for our missing companions. All except Marina, who replied, "If I had to guess, they've gone to meet up with our new recruit."

_New recruit? Oh, right_… "That guy that stayed behind in the Vice Capital?"

Kain gave the crowd another scan. "Yeah, that's the one. He said he had some unfinished business to take care of but I guess the life of a merchant is never boring."

"A merchant?" I frowned, giving it a thought before clapping my hands together. "Oh, so like you, right?" I gestured to Kain. "He was a merchant before he became a part of the Volunteer Army?"

Kain frowned. "I don't think so. I believe that he's both a merchant and a soldier."

I gaped in shock. "Really? How does that work? Does he sell weapons on the battlefield or something?"

The others glanced at each other in a sidelong manner, which prompted me to believe that my guess hadn't been far off.

Kain, instead of answering, gave me a toothy grin. "It's amazing how right you are sometimes. But, there'll be time to ask him all these questions later. For now, we're all pretty tired. We should get something to eat and drink before renting ourselves some rooms for the night."

Everyone nodded assent and I got up from my seat. "Okay, we'll split up. The least tired of us will go to rent the rooms and the rest will buy the food and wait for the Captain's return with our new recruit. I'm going to the inn. But, I'm not sure where it is so I'll need help getting there. Any takers?"

In the end, it was decided that Kain and I would rent the rooms while Marina and Michidia got the food and waited for our other members.

Exiting from the tavern, Kain regarded two narrow paths and then another path to the right. He pointed to the path on the right and gestured for me to follow.

"Soooo… you know where you are going, right?" I tried not to be accusatory but the way he picked the path had me wondering how well he knew these streets.

Kain raised an eyebrow before rolling his eyes almost dramatically. "Of course I know where I'm going! On my first visit, the Captain made me memorize all of the main routes and a few of the side alleys in case of emergency. The Vice Capital is always under attack."

Kain took an abrupt turn down an alleyway I hadn't seen forcing me to backtrack. For a moment, we walked in silence. Soon, he looked around, glancing at our surroundings. I began to do the same but couldn't find anything out of the ordinary. When Kain deemed that everything was fine, he added, "Heck, there's rarely ever a place that isn't attacked for some reason. The biggest problem isn't even the Black Troops but rather the slums. Or rather the danger that forms from an attack on both fronts."

I was pretty sure that I had heard him right but it still didn't make much sense to me. "Hold on, why would people within the Vice Capital attack it? What do they hope to accomplish?"

Kain shrugged. "Can't really say. Sometimes people commit crimes. Whether they were righteous or justified depends on who you ask." He stopped and turned to me. "A week ago, it wasn't my responsibility to deal with this. But, now that I'm here, I feel that it's my duty to do something, even if I'm just stabbing in the dark most of the time."

For a second, I saw something troubling in Kain's eyes but I wasn't given any time to analyze it. He shook his head and adopted a happy façade and said, "And we're here." He turned and entered the building we had stopped in front of. Following him inside, we rented two rooms with four beds each. Then, we hightailed it back to the tavern, certain that the Captain, Pirika, Phoena, and the new recruit would be there waiting. By the time we entered, the tavern was more packed. Rhys and the others had returned as well but instead of one recruit, two men were conversing with our group. The first was a young man dressed in warrior's armor. An assortment of weapons hung from his back and each looked deadly in its own right. He was currently chatting with Michidia, holding up a bow and giving her a smirk as he discussed the bow's quality craftsmanship.

The Captain caught me staring at the guy and I waved. Soon, Kain and I took our seats and Rhys went about giving out introductions. "This is the guy we recruited a few days ago."

The brown-haired merchant glanced my way. I was just about to introduce myself when I realized that he was sizing me up. He started from my boots, traced the curve of my hips, stopped to stare at my bust size for a split second before looking at my face. Then, he began digging in his weapon pile without looking, still looking at me. Meanwhile, I was starting to grow uncomfortable. If it had been any random pervert, it wouldn't have mattered but this was a new teammate and, if I could help it, I wanted to keep our relationship purely professional.

Finally, the man found what he was looking for. Taking a sheathed blade, he presented it to me. "My name is Dusty. I'm a traveling merchant. And for fifty gold, this blade could be yours."

I gave him a fixed stare. "My name is Layla and are you really trying to sell me an expensive weapon on our first meeting?"

Dusty smirked. "A beautiful lady such as yourself should always be prepared, especially if you're going to be on the front line with us. It would be beneficial to have a weapon. Given your build and appearance, a light blade would probably be the best fit. As for expensive, this is actually very cheap. Fifty gold is nothing, or better yet, it's a little higher than the price of a room in a local inn."

"Really?" I looked thoughtfully at the blade. With the right amount of money, I could buy it and maybe even learn to use it but I didn't have any money… did I? I hadn't really thought about it but if I had been traveling, I must have had some money on hand. Otherwise, I wouldn't have survived regardless. Which meant…

I patted myself down, checking for hidden pockets. After examining every inch of my body, I checked my sleeves and was surprised to hear a jingling in the left sleeve. Inside I found a latched pocket containing a pouch of gold coins. Pulling it free from its hiding place, I watched as Kain looked from the bag to me and snorted. "And where was this magic stack of cash when I paid for our rooms?"

I grimaced at that detail. "Sorry, I only just remembered I put that there. I'll pay for the next inn we stay at. I promise."

Turning back to Dusty, I said, "I have the money but I don't want the sword."

Dusty's eyebrows arched but, otherwise, he remained silent, which made me feel as though I needed to elaborate. "I mean, until a few days ago, I hardly knew my name. Having a sword would be a nice and necessary defense but, for now, I think I should stick to what I know. Right now, I _know_ I don't know how to use a sword."

Dusty smirked. "Spoken like someone who knows and acknowledges their own limits." Putting the sword back into his pack, he then proceeded to pull out a small dagger and offered it to me. "Here. Take this." I opened my mouth to reiterate what I said and he laughed, "I know what you said. Despite that, you have the look of a fighter. Even if you aren't on the front lines with us, I'll do you good to have some sort of protection. Don't worry, it's free of charge. Go on, take it."

Reluctantly, I took possession of the dagger and strapped it to my waist. "Thank you."

"No, ma'am. Thank you for taking it. I offered the same to that young lady over there but she declined."

I focused on Phoena and she blushed. "I'm not one for blades. I'm sure that owning one would be more trouble than its worth."

I nodded in understanding. Even though I took Dusty up on his offer, I still wasn't sure if it was the best call. Learning to wield it was no problem. Figuring out when I needed to would be a challenge. But, I guess I'd cross that bridge when I got to it.

Turning back to Rhys, I asked, "So we've met Dusty. But, who's the other guy?" I gestured to the guy with his back turned to me. All throughout the conversation with Dusty, he hadn't uttered a word, instead ordering one drink after another. "I thought you said that you had recruited only one guy."

Pirika fluttered into my eyesight. "We had. Dusty found him for us."

Dusty looked over his shoulder at the man. "I figured, given the vacancies on the team, the Captain wouldn't mind if I scouted another fighter." He turned to the man fully. "Oi, come greet your new comrades."

The man chugged a keg of beer and turned to eye the rest of us. His gaze lingered on me for a split second before he groaned. "I'm not here for social interactions. You told me I'd be able to fight off Black Troops as long as I traveled with you and that's all I'm here to do. Everything else is null and void."

He shouted at the bartender bring him another, effectively cutting off the conversation. Dusty laughed. "And that was Greg. Granted, that's almost as nice as he's ever been to complete strangers. Look, don't take it personal. He may be a bit hard to get along with but he's a beast in the field. You can rely on him."

Rhys frowned. "You better be right, Dusty. I don't want any of our teammates in danger."

I looked back at newcomer Greg. He seemed gruff, rude, a bit of a drunk, and volatile. But, underneath all that, things felt off and in that moment, I wondered if even he was suppressing a hidden sadness.

* * *

The morning after, we were woken and rushed from the inn we had inhabited. Not given any specifics, I was tired and cranky for the most part but a small part of me wondered what was so important.

Rhys, Kain and Pirika were in a meeting with their sponsor – a man named Silva – talking about something, which forced us to wait for news on the now. Fortunately, it hadn't taken very long and soon, Rhys walked out of the office and gestured to us to follow him. As we walked the streets, I sauntered up to him and asked, "So what's going on?"

Rhys yawned once before exiting the office and heading outside. "We got our orders and I'll explain on the way."

Deciding that it was best to ask later, I gathered my belongings and followed him out the door. Once we were outside the Capital, Rhys turned onto a path off the main road and said, "There's a job from the Soldier's Guild."

Pirika, at that moment, decided to speak up. "Yeah, the one from Silva, right? What did he request again? Can we handle it?" She looked over at me and it took an immense amount of self-control not to frown at her.

"How am I supposed to know? You were the ones in the meeting."

Kain sighed and shook his head. "Honestly, you two… We're apparently guarding citizens who are being evacuated."

Pirika had a thoughtful look upon her face. "That's a bigger responsibility than I thought. Rhys, what do you think?"

Rhys didn't bother to turn around. "We're already on the road, aren't we? They need help and we're going to provide it."

Pirika's lips curled into a smile. "Well, of course. I'd expect nothing less from you. Besides, we can't just ignore people who are in trouble." She chanced a look at Phoena and me. "Well, I guess that's that. Phoena, Layla, are you two going to be okay?"

"I'll help out however I can," I said.

Phoena was in agreement. "I'll do my best as well. But why are they being evacuated?"

Pirika took a moment to think it through before sighing in defeat. "Mmmm… it's faster if you see for yourself. We shouldn't keep them waiting, so let's go!"

Phoena picked up the pace. "Y-Yes, I'm excited for my first mission."

Pirika laughed. "And you, Layla?"

"I guess you could say I'm a little nervous."

Pirika nodded in understanding. "That's alright as long as you don't get too nervous."

I took Pirika's advice to heart and tried calming my anxiety. Turning to the horizon, I saw movement in the distance. I didn't have to squint for long when I noticed Rhys tense up, Kain unsheathe his sword, and the others readying their weapons.

Rhys brandished his weapon out in front of him and set off along the path at a slightly slower pace. Every once in a while, I caught him glancing at one of us out of the corner of his eye. Up ahead, the horde of Black Troop soldiers finally seemed to notice we were here and began to advance and if I had to guess, we had exactly one minute before we were forced into a confrontation.

"Kain, make sure to protect Marina and Michidia." Rhys ordered.

Kain did the closest thing to a salute at the sound of Rhys's orders. "Yes sir!"

"Greg," Rhys said, looking up at the middle-aged man. "You and I will confront them up close and do our best to keep the enemies away from the others."

Greg didn't salute as Kain had but grunted indefinitely, which could mean anything.

"We don't know how many forces these Black Troops have right now. To be safe, Dusty, you'll stay on standby. Keep close to Phoena and Layla. Protect them no matter what."

"Okay, boss." Dusty said, positioning himself to my right. The others placed themselves accordingly, making a tightly knit battle formation.

"Okay, Voluteer Army, let's do this." And as one, they jumped into the fray.

Unlike yesterday, the fight took little time to resolve. The added strengths of Greg and Dusty might have had something to do with it. Dusty wasn't the strongest warrior I'd seen but what he lacked in power, he made up for with strategy and willpower. And Greg… was a beast on the battlefield. With each enemy that came his way, his anger only seemed to grow and his strength skyrocketed. He was a force to be reckoned with and almost seemed to win the battle on his own.

Hearing moaning from behind us, I whirled around to see a few Black Troops who had snuck up on us and were proceeding to reach for Phoena.

"Look out!" I shouted. With hardly a thought in my mind, I unsheathed my new dagger and slashed at them, effectively forcing them back in surprise. I knew it wouldn't last long so in the time I had, I grasped Phoena's hands and we backed up quickly, creating more room between our opponents and us.

Getting over their shock rather quickly, the skeletons began to ease their way forwards. I brandished my dagger in front of me and tried to glare menacingly but it seemed to have little effect. As they made another attempt to grab Phoena, the sound of metal hitting bone split in the air and the skeleton and his followers fell in rapid succession.

Dusty patted himself down before shouting us a grin. "You ladies alright?"

Phoena nodded in relief. "Thank you for your rescue. We were lucky you got here when you did."

I nearly snorted. Lucky? He was supposed to have been looking out for us in the first place. If he had been doing his job, they would have never gotten that far. I sighed, trying to rein in my anger. There'd be time to explode later. For now, we had a city to evacuate.

* * *

The good news: Rhys and other managed to cut a path through the Black Troops, giving Phoena and me enough room to maneuver our way into the village. Then, they began to circle the perimeter, trying to make holes to let the villagers escape.

The bad news: The village was in worse shape than we had previously thought. A large portion of the western side of the town was in flames. And many of the residents seemed to have been caught in the blaze. I could hear multiple screams and muffled cries for help. As we raced through the scene, I looked all around for someone in authority. Sighting a young man ordering around some of the villagers, I sprinted up to him, Phoena on my heels. "Hey!"

The man turned towards us with a look of tiredness but otherwise he looked fine. "Are you the ones we sent for?"

I nodded. "We're the Volunteer Army and we were sent by the Soldier's Guild to help you evacuate. Our main forces will keep the Black Troops occupied while Phoena and I help out here. So what so you need?"

The man took a look at the two of us almost incredulously but decided not to voice his doubts, instead saying, "My name is Dreyden and I'm the mayor of this town. As of this moment, many of the villagers were caught in the fire. We're doing our best to sift through the rubble and rescue survivors but with so many injured, we're a little short on hands." He sighed. "To make matters worse, as long as we have so many casualties, we can't leave the village. It's the only physical barrier protecting us from the attack."

I nodded, thinking it through. From what Dreyden mentioned, they were short on hands and had too many injured to tend to. As long as these factors persisted, they couldn't evacuate the town. Which meant… "Okay, here's what we'll do." I spoke out loud so that Dreyden and any others who were around could listen in.

"Dreyden, you and your men are going to continue rescuing civilians from the rubble. Any other uninjured villagers should task themselves with carrying the civilians to this spot. Phoena, I need you to go and find Marina."

Phoena's eyes widened as she seemed to understand what I was implying. "Are you sure you don't need my help with the rubble?"

I was shaking my head before she even finished. "The plan won't work without Marina and the only person I trust to get her is you. Besides, I know you want to help us here but I can tell you're not used to physical labor. Don't worry about me. We'll get the job done and wait for you two to return. Then, we'll lead them out of here and to safety."

Phoena didn't want to leave me on my own but even she could see the reason in my words. "Alright, stay safe." She ran away, off in search of Marina. I watched her back until she disappeared in the afternoon light. When I was sure she was gone, I turned to Dreyden, who was giving me a suspicious look. "What?"

He shook his head and turned away. "Nothing. My men are already going along with your orders. I'll go with them and help out. You should tend to the injured here." He turned to leave but by that time, I was already a step ahead of him. He moved to protest but I beat him to the punch."Remember what you said: you need all the help you can get."

He visibly cringed but remained steady. "I was expecting help from warriors or soldiers. I was expecting them to be as strong and experienced as me. Not young girls who can't even fight."

I grit my teeth. "I may not be a soldier and I may have little experience but I'm still a fighter. I'm fighting for your city and your people. If you had received more people like you, nothing would get done and you'd just complain more. If I were you, I'd be happy that didn't happen."

I jogged off towards the damaged side of the town. As an afterthought, I added, "Now move it or lose it. We need to have rescued everyone from the destruction by the time Phoena gets back."

* * *

**A/N: That's all for now! Be sure to review, follow and favorite! Tell me what you think I'm doing right and what I might need to improve and depending on how urgent the request is, I'll get right on it. For now, I'll be working on Chapter 3! So stay tuned!**

**ArthurDragonpen, signing off!**


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